1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to reinforced soil structures, and it is particularly concerned with a method of and apparatus for securing flexible polymeric strips to a facing for such a structure.
2. The Prior Art
The technique of using polymeric strips in compacted granular fill behind a lightweight reinforced concrete facing is well known, and several ways of connecting the strips to the facing have been employed. For instance, metallic loops are secured to the panels which form the facing, and the strip is circumflected alternately about the loops and anchoring points within the fill.
The present invention provides a facing element for a facing of a reinforced soil structure including a polymeric strip circumflected about an attachment member, wherein the element defines a first chamber for receiving the member and a portion of the circumflected strip, and a second chamber laterally adjoining and connected to the first chamber for receiving and retaining the member and the circumflected strip portion therein, the chambers opening to the rear face of the element.
Preferably, the relative dimensions of the second chamber and the attachment member serve to retain an interjacent strip portion in wedged engagement therebetween. Subsequent movement of the facing or the strip e.g. as the soil structure settles, wedges the attachment member and the interjacent strip portion more securely within the second chamber.
The fibres in the strip can be damaged by excessive compressive loading, and thus in a preferred embodiment opposed converging surfaces of the second chamber define an abutment zone, the converging surfaces and the adjacent attachment member surfaces being substantially parallel over the area of the abutment zone when the interjacent strip portion is wedged therebetween thereby to spread the load on the interjacent strip portion over the area of the abutment zone.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an assembly for use in a reinforced soil structure comprising a polymeric strip, the assembly comprising an attachment member and a facing element as defined above.
To improve the resistance of the attachment member to corrosion, the attachment member is preferably formed from non-metallic material.
The invention also provides a method of securing a polymeric strip to a facing element of a reinforced soil structure, the method comprising the steps of:
circumflecting the strip about an attachment member;
inserting the attachment member and a portion of the circumflected strip into a first chamber opening to the rear of the element; and
moving the attachment member and the strip portion laterally into a second chamber for receiving and retaining the attachment member and the circumflected strip portion, the second chamber adjoining and connecting to the first chamber and opening to the rear of the element.
A clear understanding of the invention will be gained from the following detailed description of embodiments, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.